Former England opener Geoffrey Boycott said Ollie Pope isn’t fit to bat at No. 3 and that he has been a disappointment. Boycott said that the Surrey batter’s defence is vulnerable, and he looks to score off every ball. Pope, recalled to bat at No.3, ahead of the previous summer, played decently in the first innings of both Tests. However, the right-hander lost his stumps in the second innings on both occasions, with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc breaching through his defences with ripping deliveries.
In his column for The Telegraph, Boycott said, “Ollie Pope has been a disappointment at No.3. For me, he looks intent on scoring off every ball against the new ball; that is very dangerous.”By all means, don’t just defend, but be more selective. Against quality bowlers with a new ball, you should accept that they will bowl good balls, and you must be able to defend. His defence is not tight enough.”
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He continued: “Since his arrival in international cricket, Harry Brook has looked like a world-beater, new star, but he is getting himself out. He is trying to whack anything and everything.”That’s crazy batting and a waste of his talent. By all means, stay positive – nobody wants him to change and become defensive – but use your brain, and bat the percentages.”
However, Harry Brook’s first-innings dismissal at Lord’s after his fifty saw a lot of criticism as he sliced a short-pitched delivery off Mitchell Starc to cover as well. Meanwhile, the veteran also feels Ben Duckett looked like a compact player at Lord’s.
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“England’s biggest plussees have been the new boys Ben Duckett and Josh Tongue. Duckett learned quickly after getting out twice at Edgbaston in his favourite area: steering the ball behind square on the off side. At Lord’s, he played straighter, even left the occasional ball, and he looked every inch a sound opening batsman. His batting was first-class. I liked Tongue as he rolled his sleeves up and got stuck in. He bowled with fire in his belly, good pace, movement, and best of all, he got lift at times that unsettled Australia, hitting their batsmen on their arms, body, and gloves,” he concluded.
